Breaking Free
by LaraJanine
Summary: Based on High School Musical's Song "Breaking Free". LittleRedRidingHood!PhilippinesXHalf-Wolf!Japan


**We're soaring, flying  
There's not a  
Star in heaven  
That we can't reach  
**==================

"Catch me if you can!" Kiku called out to Maria as he grabbed her red cloak.

"Kiku, give it back!" Maria pleaded as she tried to reach out for it. But, then, Kiku ran as fast as the wind and asked her to chase and grab her cloak from him.

"If you won't catch it by sunset, I will get a kiss, okay?" Kiku told her playfully. She, at first, wants to hesitate and just let him be but he is often too pushy.

"Then, I'll make sure you won't get any!" Maria said and as fast as she could be, she chased Kiku all throughout the woods.

Kiku kept looking back, trying to make sure she is safe and sound. Then, on the third time he looked at Maria, she quickly pounced on him, making both of them fall into the soft grassy area. After grabbing her cloak from Kiku and putting her hair on one side, she grabbed his collar with both hands and kissed him on the lips.

"What was that for?" Kiku asked, confused but glad.

"Nothing! It is just a thank you kiss." Maria replied.

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**If we're trying**  
**So we're Breaking free**  
==================

One day, Maria came out to pick mangoes nearby Kiku's home. Maria climbed on top of the tree while Kiku stayed on the ground. It was, after all, very high!

"Maria, what are your dreams?" Kiku asked her as she picked ripe mangoes on top of the tree and placed them on a small basket.

"My dreams?" Maria stopped what she is doing and looked at Kiku for a moment.

"Yeah! What do you want to be in the future?" Kiku rephrased his question. Maria thought about that question for a few minutes until she knew what she wants.

"I want to be free like you!" Maria answered, smiling sweetly.

"Then, why can't you?" Kiku asked her, trying hard not to looks as if he is prying on her.

"My father, brother and uncle still needs me!" she answered. Then, when she was about to go down from the tree, she accidentlly stepped on a branch that broke in half.

"AHHHHHHH!" Maria closed her eyes screamed as she was about to hit the ground but to her dismal, she didn't. She fell into the arms of Kiku; safe and sound.

"Maria, could you promise me something?" Kiku asked her. Maria nodded at him and then, with a smile, he continued.

"Once you've achieved your dream, would you help me achieve mine?" Kiku pleaded and without a moment's hesitation, she agreed.

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**You know the world can see** u**s, in a way **  
**That's different**  
**Than who we are**  
==================

"Alfred, STOP!" Maria pleaded to her brother, Alfred, as he shoot Kiku's left arm. "Get Away from him, Maria! He's dangerous!"

"No, Alfred! He is my friend!" Maria blocked her brother's path, giving Kiku enough time to run away.

"Kiku, No! Come back!" Maria was about to go after him and, at least, help in his wounded arm but Alfred grabbed her wrists and dragged her back to their father's cottage.

"What do you think you are doing? He could've killed you!" Alfred scolded her.

"And you could've killed him, Kuya Alfred! He is my friend!" Maria defended Kiku but, then, Alfred wasn't listening to her.

"You will never leave this cottage ever again. You hear me! And whether you like it or not, I will hunt that wolf down and kill him. You understand?" Alfred told hert but, still, Maria don't want Kiku to get hurt or die, especially on the hands of her brother.

"Just listen! I'm not a kid anymore! I know what I am doing! Don't you think it is time for me to decide on my own" Maria whimpered but Alfred kept ignoring her pleas.

"I am your brother! You have no rights to tell me that I should be the one listening to you! You have no rioghts to tell me what to do and what not to do! I will tell this to father and ask him to never let you get out!" Alfred then pushed her into her bedroom and locked the door.

"Alfred, Please! Don't kill Kiku!" Maria begged to her brother while pounding on the door with her fists, crying bitterly.

"I'm sorry, little sis, but it's for your own good!" then, he left Maria alone in the cottage, locked up and in agony for her friend.

"Kiku, I'm sorry!" she wept bitterly on her bed, burying her face in her pillows.

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**Creating space between us, **  
**'Til we're separate hearts**  
==================

Kiku ran all the way into the creek and he washed his bleeding arm. He ripped a part of his shirt and bandaged the wound to stop its bleeding.

"Keep calm, Kiku! You will be fine! Maria will be fine. She will be fine! We will soon be fine!" Kiku whispered to himself and then, when he got back the enrgy he has lost, he had one thing in mind.

'I'll go visit Maria in her cottage'

When he visited Maria's cottage, he used his wolf instincts to tell if there was anyone there and so far, he could sense only Maria's presence. Being as cautious as possible, he sneaked inside the house and tried to find Maria. After a few minutes' search, he found her sleeping in her room but it was locked. There has to be a way to get to her!

He quickly went outside and tried to find the window to Maria's room. He found it right away but he realized it is also locked. So, he knocked on the window softly, hoping Maria would wake up and open the window. And she did.

"Kiku, what are you doing here?" Maria asked, looking at the surroundings.

"I want to visit you! Is there something wrong with that?" Kiku asked. But, then, Maria began crying. he went towards her and held her chin, making her brown almond eyes look into his.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"My brother, he wants to kill you! I tried to talk to him but he just won't listen. I'm sorry, Kiku but we could no longer be friends!" she brushed off my hand off her chin and tears fall from her eyes, all the way to her red cloak.

"No, Maria! I won't let that happen. Please, Maria, d-don't do this to me - to us. What about all the times we shared, w-would you let all of those fade? W- what about my feelings for you, do you want me to forget them?" Kiku choked on his voice as he tried to stifle his sobs.

"Yes, Kiku! Please! I don't want you to die! I don't want you to -" Maria was cut off by Kiku as he held her face with both hands and kissed her tenderly in the lips.

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**But your faith it**  
**Gives me strength**  
**Strength to believe**  
==================

"I won't give up on us! I will never let that happen, Maria!" Kiku whispered as he broke their kiss.

"But how?" Maria asked him, looking at Kiku's eyes.

Kiku went nearer and he wispered into her ears "Let's run away!"

"But, Kiku -" Maria started but Kiku placed a finger on her lips

"It was your dream to be free, right? Now is your chance to fullfill that dream!" Kiku told her with hope overflowing in his eyes.

"But -" Maria was about to say something when Alfred and Antonio came.

"Maria, get away from that beast!" Antonio yelled at his daughter.

"I'll take care of this!" Alfred loaded his gun with bullets and he is focusing his gun towards his target: Kiku.

Before anyone could do anything, Maria jumped off of the window and blocked Kiku from Alfred's gun.

"I can't let you hurt him!" she hissed at her brother and father, making both of them to, somehow, on their murderous attempt on Kiku.

Kiku, seeing their chance of fleeing, sweeped Maria off of her feet and ran like the wind while dodging Alfred's bullets.

"GET BACK IN HERE!" the two men yelled in unison, trying to chase Kiku. But, Kiku is faster than them. In fact, he could be even more faster.

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**Get to the place**  
**To be what we can BE**  
==================

"Kiku, Where are we going?" Maria asked her best friend as her carried her on his back while getting away from her brother and father.

"Somewhere both of us could be free" Kiku replied as he ran even faster than lightning.

"But, Kiku, they will hurt you even more if we run away. Please, don't do this!" Maria said as she tightened her grasp on Kiku's neck and started crying on his back.

Kiku noticed her so he quickly stopped on his tracks and put down Maria on the grass. He quickly wiped her tears with his thumb and kissed her forehead.

"We will go somewhere special. Somewhere they'll never find us. Somewhere we'll live happily ever after." Kiku reassured her.

Then, feeling all her pain and worries leave her completely, she stood up and smiled.

"Then, Let's Go!"

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**Now's the TIME**  
**So we're breaking free**  
==================

Then, Maria remembered something. She promised Kiku that when she becomes free, she must help Kiku achieve his dream. But, then, he has never told her what it is.

"Uhm, Kiku?" Maria tapped his shoulders lightly and Kiku faced her, concern visible in his face and eyes.

"What is it, Maria?" he asked, holding both of her hands.

"What is your dream?" she asked, looking deep into his eyes.

"Oh, that!" Kiku looked at the moon and, then, with a sigh, he confessed his dream.

"Maria, my dream is to win your heart!" Maria giggled at his reply to her question but Kiku has a trick under his sleeve. "And to marry you!"

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**And together we see it coming**  
**Not a want but a need**  
**Both of us BREAKING FREE**  
==================

Kiku kneeled on the ground, pulled out a ring from his pocket and grabbed Philippines' left hand.

"Will you marry me?"

"Kiku, isn't the answer obvious? Of course I will marry you!" Maria replied, crying tears of joy.


End file.
